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finance on family breakdown

09 August 2007
Issue: 7285 / Categories: Features , Divorce , Family
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PROPERTY ADJUSTMENT ORDERS AND INSOLVENCY

What happens where a jointly owned former matrimonial home is ordered to be transferred by an insolvent husband to his wife? On the facts in Hill and another v Haines [2007] EWHC 1012 (Ch), [2007] All ER (D) 72 (May) Judge Pelling—sitting as a High Court judge—held that where H is hopelessly insolvent then the transfer will be at an undervalue. It can be set aside so that H’s share will vest in the trustees. This is because, in this case, by taking a transfer of H’s share in the property, W gave no consideration at all. The fact that she did so following a contested ancillary relief application and on the basis that all her ancillary relief claims were dismissed makes no difference; or it made no difference here, because her claims were of no real value in the light of H’s insolvency.

In short, the ancillary relief court order did not cure the lack of any true value in the transaction. It was therefore open to the court

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

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Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

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Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
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